China's Beige Book underlines struggles in retail, services

FXstreet.com (Barcelona) - China's Beige Book survey for the second quarter saw a worrying decline in retail and services sectors, with corporate loans also hit by the slowdown in economic activity.

The China Beige Book survey, is compiled using the same criteria standards as the US Federal Reserve Beige Book survey, questioning executives from varies areas of the economy, including manufacturing, retail, service, transport, etc.

Private sector corporate borrowing was broadly reduced, posting its lowest level in 18 months, with the report citing the rise in lending costs as main contributor for the slippage.

Cited by the South China Morning Post, Leland Miller, the president of CCB International, which published the survey, said: "Pricing power deteriorated more than inflation in input costs and wages, resulting in a profit squeeze. Charged interest rates rose and company borrowing fell yet again", adding that "our data are clear that there has been no flood of credit."

On one hand, the Beige report went on to highlight that only 1/3 of all the firms surveyed - more than 2,000 - had increased its levels of lending, which represents a drop of 13% on a yearly basis. On the other hand, bankers surveyed noted a 45% increase in lending to business.

Miller said "the survey further underscored that the services and retail sectors had now become the new bellwethers of the mainland's economic performance, supplanting manufacturing after three decades" the South China Morning Post cited.

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